Summary

  • Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy 18-17 in thrilling World Championship final at the Crucible

  • Wu is second consecutive Chinese winner and second-youngest in tournament's history

  • Murphy falls just short of winning second world title

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  1. Wu 'doesn’t look like he’s going to win a frame'published at 15:28 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu

    John Parrott
    1991 world champion on BBC Two

    Well, he’s got to get a frame sooner rather than later, because they are running away at the moment. He’s lost the last five and honestly he doesn’t look like at the moment that he’s going to win a frame.

    What Murphy did straight after Wu is fantastic. Let’s not take anything away from him there. He know that it was an extremely important visit and he cleared it. He floated it in on the brand new cloth, wobbled the black a little bit, made a great clearance but that was a tremendous visit.

  2. Postpublished at 15:28 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu

    Wu Yize, after losing five frames in a row, is at the table at the start of frame 23. Is now the time for him to get going today?

  3. Wu's biggest testpublished at 15:26 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu

    Steve Davis
    Six-time world champion on BBC Two

    This is the biggest test of Wu Yize's career so far. Can he dig himself out of this hole?

  4. 'Really tough for Wu'published at 15:26 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu

    Ken Doherty
    1997 world champion on BBC Two

    It is a great place to play but it can be such a lonely chair and Wu is looking very vulnerable and very nervous. If he had got that frame it would've settled him down again. It's really tough there for Wu but Murphy did a great job.

  5. 'Not looking good for Wu'published at 15:24 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu

    Steve Sutcliffe
    BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

    Wu Yize was 6-2 up against Chris Wakelin at the Tour Championship recently and ended up losing 10-6 despite getting starts in a few of those frames.

    This is not looking good at all for the 22-year-old.

    Wu Yize sits in his chairImage source, PA Media
  6. Murphy wins fifth frame in a rowpublished at 15:24 BST 4 May

    Murphy 12-10 Wu (67-37, Murphy 60)

    From 7-10 down, Shaun Murphy has turned this final around and now leads 12-10, six away from the trophy.

    Wu was 37-7 ahead, but Murphy's break of 60 seals it. The Magician has conjured up breaks of 76, 52, 65, 55 and 60.

    He's now the one in control.

  7. Postpublished at 15:20 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Murphy 10 points ahead, with the colours on their spots. This could be five in a row.

  8. Postpublished at 15:18 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Stephen Hendry
    Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

    Well I fear for Wu Yize in this final because that was the chance he was waiting for. I fear he may struggle to win a frame this afternoon after missing that opportunity. We will see as these frames progress, but I feel he had to win that one there.

  9. Postpublished at 15:17 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Wu gets to 37, but misses a black off the spot. Murphy may have been expecting to be dragged back level but now has a route to a two-frame lead, 7-37, so still plenty of work to do though.

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:14 BST 4 May

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    This is setting up to be a great match from two players at the top of their games. Many twists and turns to come.

    William

  11. Postpublished at 15:14 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Murphy gets seven points on the board after the restart but the miss hands Wu a chance.

    He had a mini-session to forget but now, after doing superbly to free up the black when potting the red, has a chance to spend some time at the table.

  12. The century-making former policeman who is in charge of the finalpublished at 15:12 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Rob SpencerImage source, Getty Images

    Not only is it a massive occasion for both players, but also for referee Rob Spencer, who is officiating in his first Crucible final. However, it is not his first Triple Crown final after he took charge of the 2023 UK Championship showpiece, when Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ding Junhui.

    Speaking to the BBC before this final started, Spencer said: "It's a dream from the moment you start refereeing and that was 16 or 17 years ago, even now it has not sunk in.

    "I've refereed two semi-finals here so refereed in the one-table set-up but the final is that extra bit. When you first walk into the arena it's like 'wow, it's a totally different venue' and a totally different feeling and the pressure really comes on.

    "I come into it nervous but at the same time I'm confident and prepared as I've refereed here in big matches before."

    Spencer used to be a policeman before becoming a snooker referee, but was also an excellent player, with a best break of 139.

    He added: "For me the final is about the players more than me. I just want to walk out for the final, not make any mistakes and if everyone forgets who the referee was a week ago then I would be happy with that."

  13. Postpublished at 15:11 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Stephen Hendry
    Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

    Like a lot of players, when the long game isn't working it completely depletes your potency as a player because you rely on that to get in and score.

    The breaks Wu was making last night when he won that session - all the points came from long balls. Take that away and he's not the same player.

    Wu YizeImage source, PA Media
  14. Postpublished at 15:09 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Not sure if Wu Yize tried to pot a red to the corner there or was just playing safe but, either way, he's left a red over the corner pocket for Shaun Murphy to get going.

    However, the pink is tied up and the black is tight to the top cushion so it's not an amazing chance to score big from here.

    And indeed it's only a break of one as he gets the wrong side of the blue and, trying to create some angle, misses it to the middle.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:08 BST 4 May

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    Wu Yize needs to play his A game from now or this dream of his will be all but over.

    Keegan

  16. Postpublished at 15:05 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    The players are back out into the Crucible Theatre after their mid-session interval and Shaun Murphy, who has won all four frames played so far today, breaks off in frame 22 of a possible 35.

    Four more frames will be played this afternoon.

  17. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:02 BST 4 May

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

    It would be amazing if Murphy could win the World Championship again after such a long time. Wu will have his time when the new kids on the block come through.

    Paul

    Before the session started, I felt that Murphy would probably be happy winning it 5-3 and only trailing by one frame tonight. Now, he'll be disappointed if he's not ahead.

    Tobias

    I just love how Shaun delivers the cue through the ball and stays down on the shot... textbook stuff.

    Steve

  18. Postpublished at 14:56 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Shabnam Younus-Jewell
    BBC Sport Snooker reporter in Sheffield

    Yesterday it was Wow Yize. Right now it's Woe Yize.

    Shaun Murphy has really turned the screw after smelling blood. How the Crucible momentum can switch. This is set up for a fascinating mini-session.

  19. Murphy given himself a 'springboard'published at 14:56 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    John Parrott
    1991 world champion on BBC Two

    Shaun Murphy plays a shot with the restImage source, PA Media

    Murphy will be feeling absolutely fabulous. Knowing [coach] Peter [Ebdon], he will say 'well done pal', and that’s it - then back down to business. Never too high, never too low. He couldn’t ask for any more, than to win the first four frames. He’s given himself a springboard.

    The pressure in some ways might come off for [Wu]. He’s been in the front, and then all of a sudden, [he thinks] 'I've got to start playing now'. It’s not quite the same pressure, sometimes trying to cut a lead and being in front are two completely different things.

  20. 'Wu feeling the pressure'published at 14:54 BST 4 May

    Murphy 11-10 Wu

    Steve Sutcliffe
    BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

    Shaun Murphy has applied the pressure and Wu Yize is certainly feeling it.

    Wu lost five frames on the spin in his semi-final against Mark Allen and looked to be on the ropes but the longest frame in Crucible history arguably came to his rescue mid-way through the match.

    He has scored just 24 points across the previous three frames and will surely be heading to the practice room.